Chapter 11

chapter eleven In the now roofless Pizza Theater, sunbeams bathe the Drakkor in warm light. The monster glows like some creature from the depths of the ocean, orange framing its body in a halo. "KIMMY!" Dirk barks. "The Drakkor is BIGGER than BIG. This isn't what we signed up for!" "It's just the angle. Makes it look big. It's all perspective." "IT'S RIGHT THERE!" "OK, yeah, it's true, it's huge," Kimmy admits. "But you guys wanted the cool mystical map, and cool mystical maps don't come cheap!" Suddenly, a massive claw flashes as the Drakkor smacks Dilly Armadillo, rocketing the creature toward Dirk like a sparking meteor. The Drakkor's claws swipe again! Cymbals clash, a drum thuds, and more animatronic animals—the king's "royal band of rock-and-roll rodents" -are sent spiraling toward Kimmy. "Incoming!" Dirk barks, swinging his sword at an advancing armadillo. But quick as lightning, Kimmy swoops in and—

slice. Whoa, Kimmy, nice reflexes.

Drooler meeps twice. "I know, champ..." Dirk says. "She's ridiculously fast." "Brain—and I cannot stress this enough— POKER!" Kimmy yells back. "I know where big ugly's aiming before it attacks. I get inside its mind, so I can see what's... uh-oh..." Kimmy doesn't finish her sentence. She's suddenly frozen. "Kimmy!" Dirk calls. "What are you doing??" Dirk watches her eyes swirl pink as her brain- poking focus on the Drakkor intensifies. And the Drakkor glares right back. It's like they're duking it out in the staring contest semifinals. "KIMMY!" Dirk shouts. "You gotta move!" But she doesn't move—not an inch, not half an inch. It's like her feet are nailed to the floor. Dirk doesn't know exactly what's happening, but he can take a guess. Kimmy and the Drakkor are locked in some kind of mind meld—and Kimmy can't pull out of it. It's like she's snared—trapped in a trance. Dirk watches, in utter horror, as the Drakkor gnashes its teeth and takes a heavy step toward the unmoving Kimmy... MEANWHILE, IN THE HOME RUN DUNGEON...

Quint watches, in utter disbelief, as the Queen in Armor wrings Galamelon's neck. "Skaelka!" he finally manages. "You're the Queen in Armor? But... you're not a queen!" The not a queen. is choking me. How do you know my name? Small human. It's me, Quint. "I know no Quints," Skaelka scoffs. "Sure you do!" Quint says. "You know me! And I'm a Quint! And you know June and all the other

monsters from Joe's Pizza... Look, you're even wearing—wait... MY ARMOR!?" And as he says that, it hits him: none of this makes any sense. Quint's brain starts spinning. The last time Quint saw that armor, it was inside Big Mama, many miles and many days ago. He assumed the armor was lost forever when Big Mama was destroyed inside the Museum of Histories and Ancient Antiquities. He didn't think he'd ever see it again—and he can't fathom how he's seeing it now or how Skaelka came to be wearing it. Galamelon suddenly lets out a strangled shriek as Skaelka digs in her nails—and Quint is snapped out of his reverie. If Quint doesn't do something quick, Skaelka's going to choke the life out of Galamelon—and then what?? That's when Quint spots a wheeled cart, half-filled with baseballs. With no other choice, Quint heaves the cart toward Skaelka. "Galamelon, we're getting out of here!" MEANWHILE, IN THE PIZZA THEATER... "How do I get her out of there?!" Dirk exclaims, watching Kimmy, still trapped inside the Drakkor's thoughts.

The Drakkor's eyes remain locked with Kimmy's, using her power to its advantage. Its massive, clawed feet pierce the stage floor as it prepares to launch itself, but then— "DROOLER, HANG ON!" Dirk blurts as he crashes in, tackling Kimmy to the floor. Kimmy's pupils morph, and the pink color in her eyes fades away. "What...? Where...?" Kimmy murmurs, her mind all ascramble. Then she sees the looming Drakkor and remembers. "Oh, right. Impending death." In a flash, Kimmy is up—and yanking Dirk to his feet. The rotating stage turns again, spinning faster, and the Drakkor struggles to climb off. Its fangs snap while its claws swipe at Dirk. "Too slow!" Dirk says, jumping backward out of reach, then dashing forward as the stage brings the monster's tails within striking distance. Then—